Baghdad Burning
The Foreword states that the book brings as close a possible to the war in Iraq. “close means right inside the heart and mind of a young Baghdadi women as she lives through the war” (Riverbend Vii). She writes of humanity in her blog that even shows sympathy for the invading troops as they suffer from the hot sun day after day. Included is also a fair amount of politics. The introduction states how lucky we are to have this blog thanks to the fact that Riverbend writes in excellent English. Iraq has experienced some devastating wars in the past such as the Gulf War where several thousands of soldiers and civilians were killed. The war also created disease that killed thousands of more people. Wars here were usually fought over oil because it is a natural resource that most countries lack in supply. The introduction then goes on to talk about her views of the war in 2003. At the time of the war i still considered myself as being to young to understand. From the talk of my family and friends around me as well as various news reports it seemed as if war may have been our only option. Now that it has occurred many regret the decision and it appears to me that our country hasn't received much good out of the attack.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
HW24: CH 5 & 6
A Room of my Own
In the eyes of Virginia Woolf we have come a long way in history today. She makes this obvious as she states, “there are almost as many books written by women as by men” (Woolf 79). This shows huge improvements from the beginning of the book, suggesting that maybe her hypothesis of women and a room of their own was correct. I have a room of my own that i never really thought about until now. Its a place where i can go to be alone and think to myself. Though the world outside my room can be loud and obnoxious, my room is always quiet and peaceful. Virginia says “there is truth in what you say” (Woolf 112). my room is where the truth to everything i know is allowed to come out whether it be thoughts, feelings, or secrets. Its my own space to rid of all disturbances so i can concentrate on accomplishing my goals in life.
In the eyes of Virginia Woolf we have come a long way in history today. She makes this obvious as she states, “there are almost as many books written by women as by men” (Woolf 79). This shows huge improvements from the beginning of the book, suggesting that maybe her hypothesis of women and a room of their own was correct. I have a room of my own that i never really thought about until now. Its a place where i can go to be alone and think to myself. Though the world outside my room can be loud and obnoxious, my room is always quiet and peaceful. Virginia says “there is truth in what you say” (Woolf 112). my room is where the truth to everything i know is allowed to come out whether it be thoughts, feelings, or secrets. Its my own space to rid of all disturbances so i can concentrate on accomplishing my goals in life.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
HW23: Jezebel in Virginias Eyes
With Apologies to Virginia Woolf
last night on Jezebel there was post titled, “Marie Osmond Faints on Dancing with the Stars.” Osmond was dancing so hard that by the time she was finished she just couldn't seem to catch her breath as she collapsed. She was like goose using so much energy while migrating for the winter that ends up at the wrong destination or like a yo yo that is tossed downward and rolls to its maximum length but abruptly stops and can no longer return to the surface. Her breaths were short and force full yet she continued to smile like like a burning candle that is blown out by the wind. Laying on the hard floor she awakens with a strange feeling loneliness as if she were a single puppy trapped in a glass case of emotion. In the end she finds what actually happened and is still recognized for a great performance that will now easily be remembered.
http://defamer.com/hollywood/breaking/marie-osmond-faints-on-dancing-with-the-stars-313786.php
last night on Jezebel there was post titled, “Marie Osmond Faints on Dancing with the Stars.” Osmond was dancing so hard that by the time she was finished she just couldn't seem to catch her breath as she collapsed. She was like goose using so much energy while migrating for the winter that ends up at the wrong destination or like a yo yo that is tossed downward and rolls to its maximum length but abruptly stops and can no longer return to the surface. Her breaths were short and force full yet she continued to smile like like a burning candle that is blown out by the wind. Laying on the hard floor she awakens with a strange feeling loneliness as if she were a single puppy trapped in a glass case of emotion. In the end she finds what actually happened and is still recognized for a great performance that will now easily be remembered.
http://defamer.com/hollywood/breaking/marie-osmond-faints-on-dancing-with-the-stars-313786.php
HW22: CH2 Patriarchy
Paper Patriarchy
In the book, “A Room of One's Own,” by Virginia Woolf, she states, “the most transient visitor to this planet, i thought, who picked up this paper could not fail to be aware, even from this scattered testimony, that England is under the rule of a patriarchy” (Woolf 33). she comes to this conclusion very quickly because almost everything she read in the lunch edition of the evening paper was based around males. There was one article she mentioned that involved a women which was that, “a film actress had been lowered from a peak in California and hung suspended in mid-air” (Woolf 33). There were also views of patriarchy in chapter one when she wasn't allowed on the university grass and when she failed to enter the library because she wasn't accompanied by a male. After reading her thoughts i took a look at the Keene Sentinel to see if this was true in todays society. After looking for a bit i came to the conclusion that the paper was pretty equal. There were enough articles that could be directed separately towards women or men, as well as articles that both men and women might enjoy. Some may argue this view but to me it sounds like a big improvement from the story by Virginia Woolf.
In the book, “A Room of One's Own,” by Virginia Woolf, she states, “the most transient visitor to this planet, i thought, who picked up this paper could not fail to be aware, even from this scattered testimony, that England is under the rule of a patriarchy” (Woolf 33). she comes to this conclusion very quickly because almost everything she read in the lunch edition of the evening paper was based around males. There was one article she mentioned that involved a women which was that, “a film actress had been lowered from a peak in California and hung suspended in mid-air” (Woolf 33). There were also views of patriarchy in chapter one when she wasn't allowed on the university grass and when she failed to enter the library because she wasn't accompanied by a male. After reading her thoughts i took a look at the Keene Sentinel to see if this was true in todays society. After looking for a bit i came to the conclusion that the paper was pretty equal. There were enough articles that could be directed separately towards women or men, as well as articles that both men and women might enjoy. Some may argue this view but to me it sounds like a big improvement from the story by Virginia Woolf.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
HW21: Chapter 1 A Room of One's Own
Hey little Bro here is some help
The chapter begins with her sitting on the river bank thinking of how she was asked to speak about women and fiction. After awhile she is asked to move by a security guard because women were not allowed to walk on the grass. The narrator then recalls an essay written by Charles Lamb so she goes to the university library to look at it but again is told that women can only enter when accompanied by a male that attends the college. Throughout the chapter she tells a number of stories that are only slightly connected to what is actually going on. She then thinks of the history of the university and recalls a lunch that she attended. Still on the topic of the lute she gets distracted by a cat without a tail. The cat makes her realize that she is missing something in her memory of the lute. She then continues to speak of how the lunch has changed as well as how poetry has changed. Later she wonders why women are so poor and what her life might be like today if her mother had made money and left it for her. Looking back on the chapter there appears to be a lot of nonsense but what you need to remember is that she is asked to speak of women and fiction. I think what she is saying is that in order for women to write about women and fiction then they need a room of their own with their own space and not interruptions.
The chapter begins with her sitting on the river bank thinking of how she was asked to speak about women and fiction. After awhile she is asked to move by a security guard because women were not allowed to walk on the grass. The narrator then recalls an essay written by Charles Lamb so she goes to the university library to look at it but again is told that women can only enter when accompanied by a male that attends the college. Throughout the chapter she tells a number of stories that are only slightly connected to what is actually going on. She then thinks of the history of the university and recalls a lunch that she attended. Still on the topic of the lute she gets distracted by a cat without a tail. The cat makes her realize that she is missing something in her memory of the lute. She then continues to speak of how the lunch has changed as well as how poetry has changed. Later she wonders why women are so poor and what her life might be like today if her mother had made money and left it for her. Looking back on the chapter there appears to be a lot of nonsense but what you need to remember is that she is asked to speak of women and fiction. I think what she is saying is that in order for women to write about women and fiction then they need a room of their own with their own space and not interruptions.
HW19: global influence
“Web Influence” pg 85-86
Blogs already have a big influence in United States politics and the top five political blogs together attract over half a million viewers per day. The big question is, can the blogosphere influence global politics as well? To answerer this question i would begin by stating that as of now blogs just do not have enough power to accomplish this. “According to the 2003 Pew Research Center for the People and the Press Internet Survey, only 4 percent of online Americans refer to blogs for information and opinions.” the majority of the people use blogs for social reasons. For example,”the typical blog is written by a teenage girl who uses it twice a month to update her friends and classmates on happenings in her life.” Essentially i am arguing that the answer to this question, according to the reading, would have to be no. But above all, international media coverage is a big reason that blogs have and are becoming more influential today.
Blogs already have a big influence in United States politics and the top five political blogs together attract over half a million viewers per day. The big question is, can the blogosphere influence global politics as well? To answerer this question i would begin by stating that as of now blogs just do not have enough power to accomplish this. “According to the 2003 Pew Research Center for the People and the Press Internet Survey, only 4 percent of online Americans refer to blogs for information and opinions.” the majority of the people use blogs for social reasons. For example,”the typical blog is written by a teenage girl who uses it twice a month to update her friends and classmates on happenings in her life.” Essentially i am arguing that the answer to this question, according to the reading, would have to be no. But above all, international media coverage is a big reason that blogs have and are becoming more influential today.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
HW18: Friendly Sluts
Sluts
http://jezebel.com/gossip/sexplanation/sluts-theyre-not-whores-theyre-just-friendly-308648.php
Today in Jezebel there was a post titled “Sluts: They're Not Whores, They're Just Friendly!” The post states it has been scientifically proven that it's possible for someone to be slutty just because they're a good person. “Patrick and Charlotte Markey, who headed up the study, found that those who get around the most are either warm/affectionate or cold/distant, with few falling in between, a statistic that holds true for both men and women.” I think this is ridiculous. First of all what type of experiment is going on here? I believe people should be warm and affectionate but this doesn't mean they should sleep around. I realize times are changing and sex has become more accepting but having many partners is should still be a big NO because it is unhealthy and can cause spread of disease. The bottom line is if you look up slut in the dictionary i can guarantee you won't find the words warm and affectionate next to it.
HW17B: Cox and Zuniga
Influence of blogs on elections
Two blogs that may influence the way people vote in a coming election are “Wonkette” by Ana Marie Cox, and “Daily Kos” by Markos Moulitsas Zuniga. If i had to pick between these blogs i think i would have to say that the Daily Kos is more influential. Markos Moulitas Zuniga is a very intelligent man and puts a lot of effort into his blogs. The blog its self is well organized and more professional than that of Ana Marie Cox's. As soon as you open the site you will notice pictures of political issues which in a way let you know what the focus of the blog is about. Zuniga is very honest as well and even admits that traditional democratic consultants and media firms have influence of the party that can be negative. They are simply more interested in making money then winning the election. The Daily Kos also brings in more viewers than Wonkette. During the weeks before the election there were over 625,000 visitors per day. If that doesn't prove the the influence the Daily Kos can have then i don't know what will. 625,000 visits per day is just absolutely insane. Clearly the Daily Kos is kind of a big deal when election time comes around.
Two blogs that may influence the way people vote in a coming election are “Wonkette” by Ana Marie Cox, and “Daily Kos” by Markos Moulitsas Zuniga. If i had to pick between these blogs i think i would have to say that the Daily Kos is more influential. Markos Moulitas Zuniga is a very intelligent man and puts a lot of effort into his blogs. The blog its self is well organized and more professional than that of Ana Marie Cox's. As soon as you open the site you will notice pictures of political issues which in a way let you know what the focus of the blog is about. Zuniga is very honest as well and even admits that traditional democratic consultants and media firms have influence of the party that can be negative. They are simply more interested in making money then winning the election. The Daily Kos also brings in more viewers than Wonkette. During the weeks before the election there were over 625,000 visitors per day. If that doesn't prove the the influence the Daily Kos can have then i don't know what will. 625,000 visits per day is just absolutely insane. Clearly the Daily Kos is kind of a big deal when election time comes around.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
HW:17 Jezebel Spell Check
Would “seeing” and actual abortion change your mind about it?
On October 3, 2007 in Jezebel there was a post titled “Would “seeing” and actual abortion change your mind about it?” the post started off by talking about “Lake of Fire,” which is a documentary on abortion in America. The film is also very graphic and includes footage of a second trimester abortion as well as photos of a women who died after attempting a self-administered abortion. The UK news paper “The Mirror,” interviewed four women who had an abortion. Two of the women felt good about their decisions, one felt guilty eleven years later, and the other completely regrets it. The women who regrets it was the only one who looked at the fetus after it was removed. During the course of the interview a women states,”When i had one of my abortions, i made sure i paid Planned Parenthood the extra $30 to knock me out so i wouldn't have to deal with the memories. Bit if i had seen blood, would it have changed my perception of my abortions, or abortions in general? Probably not.”
On October 3, 2007 in Jezebel there was a post titled “Would “seeing” and actual abortion change your mind about it?” the post started off by talking about “Lake of Fire,” which is a documentary on abortion in America. The film is also very graphic and includes footage of a second trimester abortion as well as photos of a women who died after attempting a self-administered abortion. The UK news paper “The Mirror,” interviewed four women who had an abortion. Two of the women felt good about their decisions, one felt guilty eleven years later, and the other completely regrets it. The women who regrets it was the only one who looked at the fetus after it was removed. During the course of the interview a women states,”When i had one of my abortions, i made sure i paid Planned Parenthood the extra $30 to knock me out so i wouldn't have to deal with the memories. Bit if i had seen blood, would it have changed my perception of my abortions, or abortions in general? Probably not.”
HW16B: Scoble Responding
The five things that made blogging hot
the five pillars of conversational software is what Scoble claims made blogging hot! The first of the pillars is “ease of publishing,” which can help to explain why there are so many bloggers today. It doesn't take much to crate a blog which will allow you to post your thoughts of whatever you would like. You don't need to be a professional writer and you also don't need to worry about proper format or grammar. The second is “descoverability.” blogs allow people to search their interest and learn new things. They are also great for finding stories on the latest news, political issues, and just about anything else you can think of. The third pillar is “cross-site conversations” which is basically self explanatory. Bloggers are allowed to have back and forth conversations with one another on their blogs just like a chat room. Bloggers can also leave comments on each others posts stating their own opinions. “permalinking” is the fourth pillar which is a great feature because it enables bloggers to isolate URL's that will take readers directly to a post. The final pillar is “syndication.” syndication is very important today because it allows bloggers to view a large number of sites with n o need of giving any personal information or e-mail address. It also lets you watch these blogs regularly and have links to them in your own blog.
the five pillars of conversational software is what Scoble claims made blogging hot! The first of the pillars is “ease of publishing,” which can help to explain why there are so many bloggers today. It doesn't take much to crate a blog which will allow you to post your thoughts of whatever you would like. You don't need to be a professional writer and you also don't need to worry about proper format or grammar. The second is “descoverability.” blogs allow people to search their interest and learn new things. They are also great for finding stories on the latest news, political issues, and just about anything else you can think of. The third pillar is “cross-site conversations” which is basically self explanatory. Bloggers are allowed to have back and forth conversations with one another on their blogs just like a chat room. Bloggers can also leave comments on each others posts stating their own opinions. “permalinking” is the fourth pillar which is a great feature because it enables bloggers to isolate URL's that will take readers directly to a post. The final pillar is “syndication.” syndication is very important today because it allows bloggers to view a large number of sites with n o need of giving any personal information or e-mail address. It also lets you watch these blogs regularly and have links to them in your own blog.
Monday, October 1, 2007
HW: 14 Aplying Graff to Nick Denton
Take and Obsession, Then Feed It!
In addition to the belief that blogs have been increasing significantly over the recent years, Nick Denton also spends a lot of time downplaying the hype of them. As a result, the article tended to be a little confusing because Denton struggled to stick to one side or aspect of his thoughts. For example, Denton made comments to the press stating that he is unsure if there is a real business in blogging when he is actually a blog entrepreneur. However, with this said there was also some convincing information given about blogs. As a result of the interview, I learned that the focus of Denton has been to build up the audience among eighteen to thirty four year old to attract large numbers of them through some of their sites to big media bloggers. In addition, web logs can be a good business that have been growing at about twenty percent a month and over the next five years are expected to aggregate larger audiences and have more of an impact on society, politics, culture, and businesses. In conclusion, blogs will increase within the next few years and may lessen the view of existing newspaper businesses.
In addition to the belief that blogs have been increasing significantly over the recent years, Nick Denton also spends a lot of time downplaying the hype of them. As a result, the article tended to be a little confusing because Denton struggled to stick to one side or aspect of his thoughts. For example, Denton made comments to the press stating that he is unsure if there is a real business in blogging when he is actually a blog entrepreneur. However, with this said there was also some convincing information given about blogs. As a result of the interview, I learned that the focus of Denton has been to build up the audience among eighteen to thirty four year old to attract large numbers of them through some of their sites to big media bloggers. In addition, web logs can be a good business that have been growing at about twenty percent a month and over the next five years are expected to aggregate larger audiences and have more of an impact on society, politics, culture, and businesses. In conclusion, blogs will increase within the next few years and may lessen the view of existing newspaper businesses.
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